Adventures in Austin, Part II

March 2, 2012

On Saturday, we brunched at La Condesa, an upbeat bistro situated downtown at the corner of Wannabe and Cool. I now apologize for that outrageously corny joke, but it seriously has that ultra trendy, shiny and new vibe. The inspiration is Cuban/Mexican and servers wear Havana shirts and offer carafes of sparkling water for the table (I hope this is a trend that catches on!). Unfortunately, the menu is limited and, while everything sounds delicious, there aren’t a ton of options for vegetarians.

If you squint, you can see bubbles in the far carafe. Yes, please!

We ordered a basket of chips with a variety of salsas and fresh made guacamole.

I ordered the heuvos rancheros which was the most appealing vegetarian option I saw. Now that I think about it, it may have been the only vegetarian option I saw. It was delicious, nonetheless.

My sister ordered the meat version.

And then we needed a walk. So, we explored downtown.

The next day, we stopped into Hey Cupcake for some sweets. My sis isn’t a huge fan, but I liked it ok. The cupcakes are a good size, decent price, and there were a few classic and not-so-classic flavors. We ordered one strawberry and one “Michael Jackson.” Guess which is which.

I didn’t like how there were no utensils and the only way to cut into the cupcake was to use a coffee stirrer. We made do with our fingers.

I’m beholden to my sweet tooth.

Another great food find on the trip was Chuy’s, a local Austin chain. I loved the retro Elvis paraphernalia blended with a sort of Southwest island theme. Crazy, but it works!

See what I mean?

We started with the chips and salsa with jalapeno RANCH. Extra dipping sauces get me jazzed.

Salsa with ranch is a no-brainer delicious combination. Why had it never occurred to me before?

We ordered a few mid-day margaritas.

And got the giggles.

Until our enchiladas arrived. Yum.

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And before I knew it, my trip was over. But here are a few more irresistible doggie photos for you to enjoy!